Numbers 20

1 And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, come [into] the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh; and Miriam dies there and is buried there.

It was during the first month of the year that all the Israelites arrived in the Desert of Zin and set up camp in Kadesh. (This was where Miriam died and was buried.)

2 And there has been no water for the congregation, and they are assembled against Moses and against Aaron,

However, there was no water there for anyone to drink, so the people gathered to confront Moses and Aaron.

3 and the people strive with Moses and speak, saying, “And oh that we had expired when our brothers expired before YHWH!

They argued with Moses, saying, “If only we'd died with our relatives in the Lord's presence!

4 And why have you brought in the assembly of YHWH to this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts?

Why have you brought the Lord's people into this desert just so we and our livestock can die here?

5 And why have you brought us up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? [It is] not a place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and there is no water to drink.”

Why did you lead us out of Egypt to come to this awful place? Nothing grows here—no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates. And there's no water to drink!”

6 And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly to the opening of the Tent of Meeting and fall on their faces, and the glory of YHWH is seen by them.

Moses and Aaron left the people and went to entrance of the Tent of Meeting. There they fell facedown on the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7 And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

8 “Take the rod and assemble the congregation—you and your brother Aaron—and you have spoken to the rock before their eyes, and it has given its water, and you have brought out water to them from the rock, and have watered the congregation and their beasts.”

“Take the walking stick and have the people gather around you. As they watch, you and your brother Aaron will order the rock and it will pour out water. You will bring water from the rock so the people and their livestock can drink.”

9 And Moses takes the rod from before YHWH as He has commanded him,

Moses picked up the walking stick that was kept in the Lord's presence, as he had been ordered.

10 and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly to the front of the rock, and he says to them, “Now hear, O rebels, do we bring out water to you from this rock?”

Moses and Aaron had everyone gather in front of the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen, you bunch of rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?”

11 And Moses lifts up his hand and strikes the rock with his rod twice; and much water comes out, and the congregation drinks, and their beasts [drink].

Then Moses picked up the walking stick and hit the rock twice. Streams of water gushed out so that the people and their livestock could drink.

12 And YHWH says to Moses and to Aaron, “Because you have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you do not bring in this assembly to the land which I have given to them.”

But the Lord told Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn't trust me enough to demonstrate how holy I am to the Israelites, you will not be the ones to lead them into the country I've given them.”

13 These [are] the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have “striven” with YHWH, and He is sanctified among them.

The place where the Israelites argued with the Lord was called the waters of Meribah, and was where he revealed his holiness to them.

14 And Moses sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus said your brother Israel: You have known all the travail which has found us,

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, telling him, “This is what your brother Israel says. You know all about the difficulties we've faced.

15 that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt [for] many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers;

Our forefathers went to Egypt and we lived there for a long time. The Egyptians treated us and our forefathers badly,

16 then we cry to YHWH, and He hears our voice, and sends a Messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and behold, we [are] in Kadesh, a city [in] the extremity of your border.

so we called out to the Lord for help, and he heard our cries. He sent an angel and led us out of Egypt. Listen, now we are in Kadesh, a town on the border of your territory.

17 Please let us pass over through your land; we do not pass over through a field or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; we go the way of the king, we do not turn aside [to] the right or left until we pass over your border.”

Please allow us to travel through your country. We won't cross any of your fields or vineyards, or drink water from any of your wells. We will stay on the King's Highway; we won't turn off either to the right or to the left until we have passed through your country.”

18 And Edom says to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out to meet you with the sword.”

But the king of Edom replied, “You are forbidden to travel through our country, otherwise we will come out and stop you by force.”

19 And the sons of Israel say to him, “We go in the highway, and if we drink of your waters—I and my livestock—then I have given their price; only, let me pass over on my feet, nothing [more].”

“We'll keep to the main road,” the Israelites persisted. “If we or our livestock drink your water, we'll pay you for it. That's all we want—just to pass through on foot.”

20 And he says, “You do not pass over”; and Edom comes out to meet him with many people and with a strong hand;

But the king of Edom insisted, “You are forbidden to travel through our country!” He came out with his large and powerful army to meet the Israelites head-on.

21 and Edom refuses to permit Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turns aside from off him.

Since the king of Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through his territory, the Israelites had to turn back.

22 And the sons of Israel, all the congregation, journey from Kadesh and come to Mount Hor,

The Israelites all left Kadesh and traveled to Mount Hor.

23 and YHWH speaks to Moses and to Aaron in Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying,

At Mount Hor, near the border with the country of Edom, the Lord told Moses and Aaron,

24 “Aaron is gathered to his people, for he does not go into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that you provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah.

“Aaron will shortly join his forefathers in death. He will not enter the country I have given the Israelites, because you both disobeyed my command at the waters of Meribah.

25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and cause them to go up Mount Hor,

Have Aaron and his son Eleazar join you and climb up Mount Hor together.

26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and you have clothed his son Eleazar [with] them, and Aaron is gathered, and dies there.”

Take off Aaron's priestly clothes and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron is going to die there and join his forefathers in death.”

27 And Moses does as YHWH has commanded, and they go up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the congregation,

Moses did as the Lord ordered: They climbed up Mount Hor in full view of all the Israelites.

28 and Moses strips Aaron of his garments, and clothes his son Eleazar with them, and Aaron dies there on the top of the mountain; and Moses comes down—Eleazar also—from the mountain,

Moses removed the priestly clothes that Aaron was wearing and put them on Aaron's son Eleazar. Aaron died there, on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar went back down.

29 and all the congregation sees that Aaron has expired, and all the house of Israel laments Aaron [for] thirty days.

When the people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for thirty days.